Megan Kreiner - Cuddly Crochet Critters: 26 Animal Patterns

Cuddly Crochet Critters 26 Animal Patterns Megan Kreiner DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC. Mineola, New York Cover and animal pattern photography: Brian Kraus General assembly and all pattern illustrations: Megan Kreiner Step-by-step photography (pp. 3 to 10): Pat Olski, crocheter; Charles Young, photographer The publisher would like to thank the Kreiner kids for providing us with the names of the cuddly crochet critters weve gotten to know so well. Copyright Copyright 2019 by Megan Kreiner All rights reserved. Bibliographical NoteCuddly Crochet Critters: 26 Animal Patterns is a new work, first published by Dover Publications, Inc., in 2019. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Kreiner, Megan, 1981 author. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Kreiner, Megan, 1981 author.

Title: Cuddly crochet critters: 26 animal patterns / Megan Kreiner. Description: Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications, Inc., 2019. Identifiers: LCCN 2019005488| ISBN 9780486833958 | ISBN 048683395X Subjects: LCSH: CrochetingPatterns. | Soft toy makingPatterns. | Stuffed animals (Toys) Classification: LCC TT829 .K744 2019 | DDC 746.43/4041dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019005488 Manufactured in the United States by LSC Communications 83395X2019 www.doverpublications.com Contents Patterns Dedication For Lydia Introduction Get ready for some extra-chunky fun with this collection of oversized cuddly crochet critters! These projects whip up quickly into soft and pillowy pals that are perfect for naps and travel and are easily customizable. Starting with a basic body shape, each pattern includes a variety of unique add-ons such as snouts, muzzles, horns, ears, and tails that can be mixed and matched to create any kind of critter you can imagine! Turn a whale into a narwhal by adding a unicorns horn or turn a duck into a platypus by adding a beavers feet and tail.

The possibilities are endless! I hope youll take the opportunity to experiment with these patterns and make a custom crochet critter thats as unique as you are! Happy Crocheting! Megan Kreiner of MK Crochet Getting Started Yarn, hook, needles, and stitch markersMaterials Before you begin on your first critter, check over your materials to make sure you have everything you need to complete your project! Yarns: To make your chunky critters super-sized, its recommended you use Super Bulky Bernat Blanket Yarn (100% polyester). It comes in 10.5oz/300g skeins and in a wide range of colors. You should expect to use between 200 and 250 grams or 150 to 170 yards for each project. In addition to this super-bulky yarn, you will also need 23 yards of chunky black yarn for smaller details such as eyebrows. For the samples in this book, Ive used Bulky Berroco Comfort Chunky Yarn (50% super fine acrylic, 50% super fine nylon). Safety Eyes & Noses: The extra-large eyes and noses featured in this book were all purchased online through the website as plastic safety eyes and noses can pose a choking hazard. Plastic safety eyes and nosesCrocheted eyes and nosesStuffing: Polyester fiberfill stuffing is readily available at most craft stores and will maintain its shape over time. Plastic safety eyes and nosesCrocheted eyes and nosesStuffing: Polyester fiberfill stuffing is readily available at most craft stores and will maintain its shape over time.

Each pillow critter takes about one 12-ounce bag of stuffing to complete. Notions & Tools A short list of tools will help make the process of putting together your chunky critters quick and easy: Hooks: For super-bulky yarn, you will be using a size M/N (9.0mm) hook. There are lots of options in regard to materials and handle styles for crochet hooks. To find the one that works best for you, try to hold the hooks in your hand before you make your purchase to ensure a comfortable fit. Because you are making pillow critters and not garments, your stitch gauge and overall sizing is not crucial. Scissors: Fabric scissors used exclusively for yarn will help ensure clean cuts and quick snips. Tapestry Needles: You will need a large steel tapestry needle with an eye large enough to accommodate extra-chunky yarns. Tapestry Needles: You will need a large steel tapestry needle with an eye large enough to accommodate extra-chunky yarns.

Avoid plastic tapestry needles since they can sometimes bend and break when going through multiple layers of crochet and stuffing. Stitch Counter: A counter can help you keep track of where you are in your pattern. Large Safety Pins: Use safety pins when a pattern calls out for place markers (pm) to help mark useful landmarks on your work. Smaller place markers such as split rings can sometimes slip off or get lost among the large stitches. Marking Pins: For projects using bulky yarn, you might find that regular straight pins are not large enough to hold anything in place. Look for larger bamboo straight pins to help keep your project pieces together while you sew! Project Bags: A small project bag (such as a canvas pencil case) is great for storing smaller tools and notions while a larger canvas shopping bag can hold everything else needed for your current project.

Resources Yarnspirations www.yarnspirations.com Bernat Yarn Berroco www.berroco.com Berroco Yarn Glass Eyes online www.glasseyesonline.com Online shop featuring a wide variety of safety eyes and noses Hobbs Bonded Fibers www.hobbsbondedfibers.com Poly-down fiberfill toy stuffing and black batting, available at local craft stores Clover www.clover-usa.com Hooks and notions, available at local craft stores Fiskars www.fiskars.com Scissors and cutting mats, available at local craft stores Crochet Stitches & Techniques The projects in this book are considered Easy (a step above the novice/beginner level) and require a few basic crochet stitches to complete. If you are new to crocheting, this section will provide an overview of all the stitches used for the patterns in this book. To make the details easier to see, well be using a thinner yarn for our stitch-making examples. Slipknot